Bobi, world's oldest dog at a ripe old age of 31, is still loving life

Bobi, the world’s oldest dog at a ripe old age of 31, is still loving life, has NEVER worn a collar or a leash and only eats human food

• Purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo has lived more than double breed’s life expectancy 

Bobi, the world’s oldest dog who has lived more than double his life expectancy at the ripe old age of 31, is still loving life as he lives out his days on a farm in Portugal.

Pictures of the world-famous canine have shown he is still enjoying the sweet life with his owner, Leonal Costa, who is only seven years older than his pooch.

Bobi, who was born 11 May, 1992, has lived with the Costa family his whole life, in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, central Portugal.

He is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of livestock guardian dog which has an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. 

Mr Costa credits Bobi’s astounding longevity to the ‘calm, peaceful environment’ he lives in, his diet of human food, and his freedom – with Bobi having never been chained up or put on a leash.

obi has lived with the Costa family his whole life, in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, central Portugal

Leonel Costa, owner, and 31-year-old dog Bobi pose with Guinness World Record certificates in Leiria, Portugal, this week

Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of livestock guardian dog with an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.

Bobi loves to eat and mostly has the same food as his owners, but they are sure to soak it in water to remove the seasoning first.

His good health into old age also appears to be in the genes, as Mr Costa said Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived to 18, and another one of their dogs, Chicote, lived to be an impressive 22-years-old. 

As if making it to the age of 31 was not enough, miraculously, Bobi also avoided being put down when he was a pup. 

He was born with three siblings to a family in Portugal, but they already had a lot of animals and had to put the puppies down. 

Bobi escaped, Mr Costa said, and his family kept him.

‘From being condemned at birth to now being the oldest verified dog ever, Bobi’s story is a miraculous one,’ said Guinness World Records said as they named Bobi the oldest dog ever recorded in February.

The pooch celebrated his birthday in May with a ‘very traditional’ Portuguese party on the family-run farm

Bobi was awarded a Guinness World Record title for being the oldest dog in the world in February. Pictured this week

Mr Costa credits Bobi’s astounding longevity to the ‘calm, peaceful environment’ he lives in, his diet of human food, and his freedom

Seeing Bobi’s long life recognised by becoming a Guinness World Records title holder ‘is an immense joy’, Costa said. 

Mr Costa describes him as ‘one of a kind’ and, unbelievably, said he still hopes Bobi will father puppies, as he is the last of a long generation of animals.

Mr Costa said: ‘Bobi has been a warrior for all these years, only he knows how he’s been holding on, it must not be easy because the average dog’s life span is not that high and if he spoke only he could explain this success.

‘We are very happy and grateful to life for allowing us, after 30 years, to have Bobi in our daily lives.’

Bobi is pictured in 1999 on the family-run farm where he enjoys playing with the cats

The pooch celebrated his birthday in May with a ‘very traditional’ Portuguese party on the family-run farm, with dozens of friends and fans from around the world attending.

Despite his age, the calm and sociable dog is still healthy enough to play with the family’s four cats.

Bobi loves to eat and mostly has the same food as his owners, but they are sure to soak it in water to remove the seasoning first.

Bobi had just one health scare in 2018, but pulled through.

Bobi sleeps well at night and enjoys a good rest after meals, as well as relaxing by the fireplace on particularly cold days. He also loves walking around the farmland and among the pine trees

Despite his age, the calm and sociable dog is still healthy enough to play with the family’s four cats

Bobi loves to eat and mostly has the same food as his owners, but they are sure to soak it in water to remove the seasoning first 

He also has some age-related eyesight and walking issues.

In 1992, Bobi was registered with the Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria. The organisation confirmed Bobi’s birth date.

Bobi’s age has been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorised by the Portuguese government and managed by the National Union of Veterinarians.

The previous title holder for the oldest living dog was Spike, who achieved the record at 23 years and 7 days, as verified in Camden, Ohio on December 7, 2022.

The oldest dog ever title was previously held by Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who lived to 29 years and 5 months before being put to sleep in November 1939.

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